Friday, January 17, 2014

State looks at extending drinking hours

A new piece of legislation, House Bill 1132, would extend the hours facilities could serve alcohol. Right now, state law mandates that bars and the like cut off patrons at 2 a.m. — and, as anybody who drinks can tell you, that often means 1 a.m. or earlier — but Denver Rep. Crisanta Duran would like to see that pushed to 7 a.m.

The reasoning? Why, that flood of drunk-ass hooligans that flood the streets come closing time. Ever been on Tejon Street when the clubs let out? Yeah, that's an interesting experience. (Or, if you're early to bed, just make the Colorado Springs Police Department's blotter a regular part of your Saturday morning reading.)

"When you mix alcohol and large crowds exiting at the exact same time, that's when problems occur," Duran told the Denver Post. "We're giving cities the option to allow bars to stay open longer and serve if they want."

Of course, the bill also allows local municipalities to craft their own rules regarding when alcohol should be cut off, so your guess is as good as mine what the moral majority — read: City Council — would choose to do if presented with the option. I guess it will depend on how many retired generals get trotted out.